@Colleen: Hey, I don’t even drink wine and I’m mesmerized by the wine cellar, lol. If you look closely at the arched niche above the sink, you can make out what seems to be a mosaic featuring two figures. I’m guessing it may actually be ancient, as there are a couple of bare spots that are missing the tiles. Fun fact… (well, for geeks like me) the tiny tiles used in mosaics are called tesserae.

I kinda like the trees. They may be idiosyncratic, but I don’t find them off-putting.

@Frodo: What, no commentary on the porcupine with a crown?! There’s something not quite right about the statuary, but the porcupine is just.too.weird. Wouldn’t having a crown jammed down over your quills hurt? Or at least be really uncomfortable? Goodness knows it’s silly looking enough to be downright embarrassing to the poor thing. I can just imagine all the other marble porcupines laughing at it… “Ooh, look at Steve! What’s that, Steve? You’re King of the Marble Porcupines? Yeah, right!”

As for the statuary… I dunno. The Greeks did some magnificent later era sculpture of figures in different poses, but something about these seems clunky, not at all graceful as classical Greek statuary should be. The “temple,” too, is a bit off, with elements of both (and neither) Greek and Roman architecture. It’s a grand space alright, but always and obviously at the periphery of observation, it’s not authentic (for those who are picky, like me).

Then again, I think I could manage to overlook these things if you were to invite me over, Frodo, lol. The beautifully tiled entrance and stair hall (Pics 3 & 10), as well as the views and the library (Pic 12) – ~ Gasp! ~ on both – more than make up for any of the nit-picky stuff. :D

@Emerald63: I figured if i got a place like this, I would have to replace the porcupine with my own personal weirdness. The different variations of my family’s crest has some consistent elements. A bas relief of three baskets of barley might be the thing.

As for the Greco-Roman exterior elements, I figure when you are this over-the-top in general, what are a few statues? When I get a place like this, you and yours would be welcome over any time. There’s room in my personal Parthenon for everyone.